Budget-Balancing Hearings Scheduled

Published: December 12, 1998 12:00 AM

The Wooster City School District will present a series of public hearings over the next two months focusing on ways to balance the budget for the 1999-2000 academic year.

On Thursday, Dec. 17, the district department task forces -- food service, transportation and maintenance/grounds -- will host a public hearing from 6-7 p.m. in the large group lecture room at Wooster High School.

The session will immediately precede the regular monthly meeting of the Wooster City Board of Education.

Edgewood Middle School-only public hearings will be on Jan. 6 and Jan. 20. Both meetings will take place at 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

On Thursday, Jan. 7, the District-wide Task Force will hold its first hearing at the Lincoln Way Elementary School gymnasium starting at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by public hearings on the pupil services task force at 6 p.m. and the curriculum task force at 6:30 p.m.

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Public hearings for Wayne Elementary School only are scheduled for Jan. 11 and Jan. 19. Both meetings will be at 7 p.m. in the school gymnasium.

The District-wide Task Force will deliver an interim report to the Wooster City Board of Education at the board's regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. in the high school's large group lecture room.

A second public hearing of the District-Wide Task Force is planned for Feb. 8 at the Edgewood Middle School gymnasium, starting at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by public hearings for the pupil services task force at 6 p.m. and the curriculum task force at 6:30 p.m.

The District-Wide Task Force will deliver its final report to the Wooster City Board of Education at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16, at the school board's monthly meeting.

That task force report will set the stage for what is expected to be a wide range of budget cuts aimed to saving the school district as much as $2.4 million. The cuts are needed to keep the district financially solvent in the wake of the school levy defeat last month.

Passage of the 6.95 mill combination levy would have provided adequate funds for building maintenance and operating expenses, as well as the renovation and expansion of Edgewood Middle School.

Superintendent David Estrop said that people interested in the district's budget-balancing process can visit its web site at http://www.wooster.k12.oh.us to learn the latest about efforts in each individual school. Estrop said residents are also invited to make budget-balancing suggestions over the Web or by phoning the district's central office.

Estrop said Friday that numerous cost-cutting suggestions have already been received from residents of the district. He said that while many of them were suggestions he had expected to see, others were ones that were brand new ideas not previously considered.